PEN’s Free Expression Digest brings you a daily curated round-up of the most important free expression-related stories from around the web. Please send your feedback and suggestions to [email protected]

Who will speak for China’s dissidents?
As the pressure on dissenters has mounted, criticism from around the world has been muted. And when Chinese President Xi Jinping arrives in Washington this month for his first state visit, there’s reason to worry that President Obama will hold his tongue. LOS ANGELES TIMES

Suspects in Filipino journalist murder arrested in Thailand
The former governor of the Philippine province of Palawan and his brother have been arrested in Thailand. They were wanted for allegedly ordering the murder of Gerardo Ortega, a radio journalist and environmentalist. DW

Turkish lawyer and columnist Gültekin Avcı detained over articles
Daily Bugün columnist Gültekin Avcı was arrested Friday on charges of “molding public opinion by way of the press.” His lawyer explained that his client was being held because of the independent ideas in his columns. BGN NEWS

Macedonia: President accuses editor of manipulating public
When the Daily Vest reported the cost for an official plane to fly to Montenegro to bring back a signed document, President Ivanov responded with a statement attacking the news outlet: “For the umpteenth time, the Editor-In-Chief of the abovementioned media continues to shamelessly lie, manipulate, and misinform the Macedonian public regarding the activities of the President of the Republic of Macedonia. With this article, he is in error again.” MAPPING MEDIA NEWS

South Sudan’s newspaper told to cease publication after criticizing soldiers
The Juba Monitor newspaper was told to stop publishing stories after its editor-in-chief, Alfred Taban, wrote an opinion critical of the government soldiers’ crackdown on civilians in Wonduruba payam of Lainya county, which led to the displacement of tens of thousands of people. SUDAN TRIBUNE

Burundi private media still off air as government investigates coup attempt
Private media remains off air in Burundi four months after the attempted coup by a faction of the Burundi Army. Burundi was plunged into an information blackout on May 13 as control of the airwaves took center stage in the battle between loyalist forces and troops led by coup leader Gen. Godefroid Niyombare. THE EAST AFRICAN

“You have to be brave to be a journalist in Serbia”
Index on Freedom’s project Mapping Media Freedom has recorded 194 verified reports of media violations in Serbia, Kosovo, Macedonia, Montenegro, and Bosnia-Herzegovina since May 2014. Correspondent Mitra Nazar explores the reasons behind the decline in press freedom. INDEX ON CENSORSHIP